A 22-year-old Kissimmee man is facing multiple felony charges after he fled from police in a stolen vehicle before he was eventually caught with thousands of Fentanyl pills made to look like OxyContin.
Jonathan Nicola was arrested by members of the Florida Highway Patrol Criminal Intervention Unit on Thursday, January 11.
According to FHP, troopers witnessed a white Mercedes SUV unlawfully change lanes while cutting off a marked State Patrol unit. The Mercedes allegedly had illegal tint and a temporary tag that did not return to any vehicle.
Troopers attempted to conduct a traffic stop and the vehicle fled the area, reaching speeds of over 100 miles per hour and side-swiping another motorist. The vehicle drove the wrong way on multiple public roads as well.
Nicola eventually failed to negotiate a curve in the vehicle and crashed.
As troopers cleared Nicola’s vehicle to ensure that no other occupants were present, they found a digital scale and numerous small baggies within the driver’s door pocket.
A K-9 unit was called to the scene and, while walking around the subject vehicle, positively alerted to the presence of narcotics.
During an extensive search of the vehicle, troopers found a loaded 9 mm handgun, drug paraphernalia, and a box containing a clear vacuum-sealed bag with 15,000 Fentanyl pills made to look like OxyContin.
Nicola is facing over a dozen felony charges in the case, including trafficking fentanyl, fleeing and eluding police, and driving with a suspended license, among others. He is currently being held at the Orange County Jail.